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At 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981 "Video Killed the Radio Star" kicked off the demise of radio. That was the first music video to be played on MTV, ushering in a new era of music that forever changed the way consumers enjoy it. There are few moments like this where everyone can unanimously agree that a game changing moment is happening before our eyes.The mobile payment industry has reached one of those moments as the tablet POS has killed the cash register. At least that is the opinion expressed in a recent Fast Casual article written by James Wester."Ever since Apple introduced roaming retail associates in its stores, all equipped with the tools to complete a transaction on the spot, retailers and restaurant owners have foreseen the death of the traditional cash wrap,& … more

The mobile payment market seems to be expanding every day and the Mobile World Congress was the stage for two major payment players to push the industry even deeper. At the global conference for mobile innovation, MasterCard and Visa introduced their next steps into the mCommerce.MasterCard is launching MasterPass, an enhanced version of its mobile wallet Paypass. Visa, on the other hand, announced a partnership with a group of tech providers including Samsung that will expand its mobile payment program and enable third parties to connect to the systems.A recent article from ClickZ examines these announcements and what they could mean for the future of the mCommerce industry."We all know that the center of commerce will be these devices," Jim McCarthy, head of global product at … more

As the world of mobile commerce continues to grow, it is starting to take on a few different looks. The most common versions are the tablet POS terminal, where iPads take over for traditional cash registers and third party peripherals are plugged into smartphones that turn them into a point of sales system wherever they are.There is another system, however, that is starting to emerge and it furthers the self checkout trend that many retailers are implementing. Walmart is currently testing a self-checkout mobile application. Known as "scan & Go," it allows customers to scan barcodes of products they wish to purchase with their smartphone. When he or she is ready to check out they click done and a QR code is created that is scanned at the self-checkout terminal where … more

There are many examples of "blank in a box" products. Things like bully, filmmaker and USO in a Box are making one-stop-shops for those dealing with IT problems, making a movie or sending packages to American troops overseas.Now, this concept has come to the world of cash registers and mobile commerce. A recent article from Tab Times dives into the new Business in a Box bundle that has been released by San Francisco-based Square.The company burst onto the mobile payment scene in 2010 when it began offering its card reader plugin and corresponding applications for iOS and Android-based mobile devices. The system was an instant hit with small businesses that were now able to easily accept credit card payments, in some instances for the first time. Other industries, like the … more

Those that follow the payment industry know that the debate about credit cards killing the use of cash as a payment process has raged for some time. Now, however, a new method needs to be added to the list as the world of science fiction becomes science fact.Over the last few years, the functionality of smartphones and tablets has increased and the use of mobile devices as a payment option is a reality. Many large retailers like Apple have created applications that allow customers to make their own purchases, without the help of an associate. Other companies like Starbucks have apps that allow customers to pay at the register by scanning a barcode on the screen. Then there are companies like Uber - a car and taxi service - that runs entirely through a mobile application, including … more

Many companies are starting to take mobile commerce, better known as mcommerce, more seriously as a viable revenue stream. As mobile devices and applications continue to increase in functionality, the use of these gadgets as a way to make money is becoming a crucial tool.According to the most recent numbers from Nielsen, seven of the top 15 major applications experiencing the fastest growing usage among Android users in the U.K. are commerce apps. The definition of these types of applications includes any in which digital products, retail items and experiences can be purchased.A recent article in Mobile Commerce News dissected the study."There are certain functions of mcommerce apps that are most popular among users, as well," read the piece. "For instance, even … more

Anyone walking into a select number of JCPenney department stores today may notice something a little different when they go to make a purchase. After several months of talk and speculation, the retail chain officially started rolling out a new mobile payment solution.This has been in the works since former head of Apple retail and current JCPenney CEO Ron Johnson spoke about it during the Fortune Brainstorm Tech conference last summer. Johnson, who left Apple in November of 2011, was responsible for the mobile cash register system that can be seen at the popular retail stores.The new checkout system is based around Apple's iPod touch, much like the EasyPays that are seen in the company's retail stores. Every employee on the sales floor that holds one of these devices and can run a … more

One of the major concerns for the payment card industry (PCI) is ensuring the security of every transaction. However, there has been a recent debate over the use of cloud systems and how they should be incorporated into PCI compliance.Since 2004, the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) has maintained proprietary information for a data security standard (DSS) for handling all forms of payment card data. But the question of whether and how PCI DSS covers the cloud deployments has remained undecided and quality security assessors (QSAs) - who are trained in PCI auditing and consulting - disagree.A recent CIO article interviewed Chris Brenton, a PCI Cloud Special Interest Group contributor. He mentioned that previously, cloud PCI DSS was open to interpretation and QSAs debated whether … more

Mobile technology had influenced how we handle a number of different tasks. One industry on the cusp of a major mobile overhaul is payment processing and cash registers.In a recent report for Street Fight Magazine - a publication focusing on hyperlocal business - contributor Stephanie Miles examines a number of cloud-based POS systems that are on the market today and how it benefits small and midsize businesses (SMBs)."Cloud-based point-of-sale systems offer a number of benefits over traditional hard-wired systems, the most important of which (to many small business owners, at least) is a reduction in costs. Whereas the costs involved in a closed legacy system can be anywhere from $3,000 to $50,000, SMBs can be up and running with a cloud-based system for less than $1,000 (and even much … more

According to a report from comScore at the end of last year, there are more than 123 million smartphone users in the United States. With the increase in functionality of these devices, it is easy to see why executives in many industries have looked for ways to incorporate them into business operations. The payment industry has been no different.The study also found that the use of mobile devices to shop is growing by double digits with no signs of slowing down. This can be seen by the sheer amount of peripherals on the market that turn a smartphone into a mobile cash register.A recent CIO article features interviews with executives of several mobile payment providers to understand why companies should look into adopting mobile devices as a payment tool. One of the industry experts … more